For a shared housewarming meal, consider the shape of the bread and when you’ll serve it: a round or rustic multigrain loaf is easy to share at the table, while bake-at-home bread needs preparation and a suitable oven. If you’d also like to use the bread for breakfast or lunch, check separately whether it’s wholemeal and how much you’re likely to eat. If anyone has an allergy, always check the current label. Don’t assume the bread contains iodised salt without checking the ingredients.
If the bread will be served alongside soup, dips or other dishes to share, its shape may matter more than it would at an ordinary breakfast. You could choose a round loaf to share or individual baguettes. Albert Heijn describes its Liefde & Passie Meergranen as a rustic sourdough loaf, while Lidl offers a rustic multigrain sourdough loaf.
If you’d like to eat the same type of bread every day after your housewarming meal and are keeping an eye on fibre, an explicit wholemeal label tells you more than the word ‘multigrain’ alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between multigrain and wholemeal bread; Jumbo and ALDI also offer varieties labelled as wholemeal multigrain.
If you’re not yet sure how many housemates will be eating, it helps to plan the quantity in advance: choose half a loaf for a smaller group, or freeze portions for later. ALDI and Dirk offer half multigrain loaves, and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it.
First, work out how much bread you need for the meal and whether you’ll need to bake it on the day. Then check the label for a wholemeal claim, ingredients and allergens: a rustic shape or visible seeds won’t tell you what’s in the bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Bread for the meal | Check the shape, how many pieces are included and whether the bread still needs to be baked. | I want to serve bread alongside soup or dishes to share, and choose a shape that suits the number of people eating. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this when choosing bread for a meal. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal label; compare the fibre per 100 g if that information is available. | If I’m also buying bread for breakfast and lunch, I want to know what grains it’s made from rather than judging by its dark colour. Wholemeal and fibre are the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Quantity and storage | Compare whole loaves with half loaves or individual pieces, and check the storage instructions. | With mealtimes changing, I don’t want to open more bread than we can eat. Around 21% of consumers prioritise avoiding leftovers. |
| Easy to buy | Check which size is available and whether you’ll need an oven for the variety you choose. | With all the other moving-in shopping to do, I want to be able to pick up a suitable amount quickly. Easy purchasing is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
‘Multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread isn’t necessarily the same as wholemeal bread.
Look for an explicit wholemeal label and read the ingredients and nutritional information if the type of grain or fibre content matters to you.
If you don’t eat much bread after your housewarming meal, some of it may go to waste.
Choose a size that suits the number of people eating. If you want to save some for later, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it.
Freezing portions takes freezer space and a little preparation.
The multigrain varieties reviewed from Albert Heijn and PLUS list cereals containing gluten; the Albert Heijn variety also lists sesame. The ingredients in one loaf don’t tell you what’s in another product.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information on every pack, including when you’re buying bread for guests.
According to the RIVM, Dutch policy encourages the use of iodised salt in bread, but that doesn’t mean it’s a given in every multigrain loaf. Industry information from NBC / brood.net states that bakers’ salt containing iodine isn’t a legal requirement.
If this matters to you, check the ingredients on the pack of the bread you’re buying.
These examples show a range of bread shapes and pack sizes. Check each product’s features individually rather than assuming they apply to the brand as a whole.
AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen is an example of a rustic loaf for sharing at a meal. Albert Heijn describes it as made with sourdough and baked on a stone oven floor.
Jumbo offers Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen and a Waldkorn Volkoren Brood, among other products. Choose the individual variety based on the type and quantity of bread you want.
Lidl describes an organic, rustic brown multigrain sourdough loaf with seeds as an option if you’d like to serve a different style of bread.
ALDI offers a half-size wholemeal multigrain farmhouse loaf and a whole multigrain hearth loaf: two different sizes for different mealtimes.
PLUS offers Korenlanders multigrain sourdough loaves and a multigrain sourdough baguette that you bake before serving.
Dirk offers, among other products, a half multigrain loaf from Bakker van der Akker, wholemeal multigrain varieties and bake-at-home products.
This selection includes rustic multigrain baguettes, round loaves and smaller rolls. For your housewarming meal, first decide how many pieces you need. With the rustic loaves, you’ll also need to allow time for defrosting and baking. Always check the pack for wholemeal status, allergens and salt information.
Image unavailable
Four individual baguettes could work well for a meal where you want to serve bread by the piece. Allow time to defrost and bake in an oven; check the current label for allergens and wholemeal status.
Image unavailable
With eight baguettes, this pack is a good option if you want to plan for several meals. The baguettes need to be defrosted and baked; check the storage instructions and label for allergens and wholemeal status.
Image unavailable
One round loaf could suit a shared meal if you don’t need a multipack. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before slicing; check the pack for allergens and wholemeal status.
Image unavailable
Two round loaves are better suited to several meals or a larger group than a small one-off meal. Plan for the larger quantity and allow time for defrosting and baking; check the label for allergens and wholemeal status.
Image unavailable
Four individual rolls could suit a small group who would rather serve portions than a whole loaf. Check the pack for storage or preparation instructions, as well as the current allergen information and wholemeal status.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between these types of bread. If wholemeal matters to you, look for an explicit wholemeal label and check the ingredients of the specific loaf.
Yes, freezing bread in portions can help if you’re not sure when you’ll eat it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, so you can take out just the amount you need each time.
No, don’t assume it does without checking the label. According to the RIVM, Dutch policy encourages the use of iodised salt in bread; NBC / brood.net states that bakers’ salt containing iodine isn’t a legal requirement. So check the ingredients of the bread you choose.
Read the current allergen information for the bread you want to serve, or ask in store. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are labelled; the Albert Heijn variety reviewed lists cereals containing gluten and sesame, among other ingredients. Don’t assume other loaves have the same ingredients.
